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by Dennis Wheeler
One of my favorite stories in the Bible (and it's a favorite for most children too!) is found in the New Testament book of Mark. Turn to chapter 2 in this book and you'll find the touching story of a paralyzed man whose friends desperately wanted Jesus to heal him. So these dedicated friends carried him on a mat to the house where Jesus was teaching...but the the place was so packed with people that they couldn't even get near the door.
This did not deter them though, they just sought a creative way to get to Jesus. They somehow maneuvered the man & the mat onto the roof of the home, dug through the clay roof, and lowered the paralyzed man down ... right smack-dab in front of Jesus. I'm sure that the crowd was probably a little ticked at this interruption (and I'm sure the home-owner was really upset!!)...but Jesus was not upset. In fact, He was impressed with their tenacity and creativity. And He was touched by their faith.
It was quite obvious to Jesus that these men wanted their friend physically healed. Yet, the first thing Jesus said was not, 'Sir, get up and walk!'...instead He said..."My son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5 - NLT)
What's the deal here?? The man had come to Jesus so he could walk. What did sin have to do with it?
Sin had - and has - everything to do with it. You see, Jesus knows our greatest need is not physical healing - - it's a spiritual healing.
I believe there's a lesson for us in this story. When you go before God in your personal quiet time with Him...do you immediately begin by laying out your lengthy list of wants and needs? Or...do you begin your time with Him in praise and fellowshipping with your Savior? Are there some sins you need to confess to Him?
You see, what we really need from Jesus is to spend time in His presence...worship Him...adore Him...honor Him...and allow Him to cleanse us and purify us and prepare us for His work. Then, we can also share with Him our physical, temporal concerns.
Jesus saw in that paralyzed man that his greatest need was to be forgiven and given a new hope . . . and He did just that!!
But guess what? He also healed him physically!! And as soon as Jesus healed him...the man jumped up, rolled up his little mat, and pushed his was through the crowd of stunned onlookers.
OUR GOD IS SO AWESOME! He knows that for each one of us - our greatest need is for forgiveness...so He sent Jesus Christ, His only Son, to die on the cross for our sins and offered His grace and forgiveness to us. And yet, He cares so much for our personal needs that He taught us to pray..."Give us this day our daily bread."
He knows all our needs...from the greatest to the smallest!!
As the words to the song goes...
"How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me?
Things so undeserved, yet You give to prove Your love for me.
To God be the glory for the great things He has done!"
FORGIVENESS!!
He serves as the Senior Pastor with southwest Virginia church... a loving church family in Abingdon.
He and his wife Sharon have been married for over 27 years and are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters, one son-in-law, and two precious grandchildren, the second arrived arrived on the scene in September 2004!!
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